Weekly Focal Point - September 1

Jesus regularly chided his disciples for their worry and anxiety. Worldly concerns about “what bad things might happen to us” are not befitting for followers of Christ. The ultimate and eternal dangers, in our case, have been solved and settled by God’s grace and Christ’s finished work. Our relationship with him is unaffected by the hazards, risks or perils which lie around the next bend in life. After all, as Jesus often said, there is nothing that can be done about most things we tend to worry about. “And which of you by being anxious,” Christ asked, “can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?” (Luke 12:25-26). God sovereignly holds tomorrow’s pains and pleasures, failures and victories in his omnipotent hand. Of course God wants us fully engaged in life – but it’s the life right now he wants us focused on, not the potential “what ifs” that lie ahead (Matthew 6:34). So exercise your faith in a powerful God who sits enthroned over your future. Trust him, and let the hourly use of your faith drive out any anxiety concerning tomorrow.
-- Pastor Mike